This invention relates to a cooling fan for an automotive vehicle.
Automotive vehicles have long been provided with cooling fans. These fans typically include a spider consisting of a hub from which radially extending arms project. Fan blades are normally attached to each of these arms by rivets. Unfortunately, bending forces generated in the blades during use tend to crack the blades around the rivets. The problem is particularly acute in modern vehicles, where relatively large blades are necessary to provide the necessary air flow.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a reinforcing plate which is held on the blade by the rivet that attaches the blade to the arm. The contour of the plate is different from the contour of the blade, so that a preload is established in the plate when the rivet forces the plate to assume the contour of the blade. The edge of the plate defines a flange which engages a corresponding rim on the blade, and the preload on the plate transfers the bending forces from the portion of the blade adjacent the rivet to the rim, thereby preventing cracking of the blades.